Pinestar's Mission
by Tigerlily of RiverClan
Summary: With a father that is Clan leader, Pinekit thinks he must prove himself to earn his father's pride. He does something no cat would ever do.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

ThunderClan

Leader: **Greenstar- **large gray tom with green eyes

_Apprentice, Sagepaw_

Deputy: **Thornwhisker- **pale-tabby tom with long, crooked whiskers

Medicine Cat: **Goosefeather- **young speckled gray tom with pale-blue eyes

Warriors

**Brightsplash- **white she-cat with golden patches

**Mosswing- **light brown tabby she-cat with white paws

_Apprentice, Flowerpaw_

**Blackfang- **long-hairedblack tom with a tooth that sticks out

**Honeyclaw- **tawny she-cat

**Deerjump- **long-legged dark brown tom

_Apprentice, Weedpaw_

**Treescar- **brown tom with a long scar across his chest

**Plumcreek- **silver tabby she-cat with a white tail-tip

**Graystorm- **gray tom

_Apprentice, Mumblepaw_

**Mousenose- **small gray-and-brown she-cat

Apprentices

**Sagepaw- **thick-furred tabby she-cat

**Flowerpaw- **dark tortoiseshell she-cat with black paws

**Weedpaw- **pale-orange tom with yellow eyes

**Mumblepaw- **slightly clumsy brown tom with amber eyes

Queens

**Sweetbriar- **brown tabby she-cat, mother to Greenstar's kits: Pinekit, (red-brown tom with green eyes), Beechkit, (brown-and-cream tom), and Cherrykit, (pale-ginger she-kit)

**Mothflight- **white she-cat, mother to Graystorm's kits: Marshkit, dark brown tabby tom and Mottlekit, mottled gray tom)

Elders

**Snowclaw- **gray tom with one white paw

**Dappleshine- **sleek, once-pretty mottled golden she-cat

**Creeksplash- **dark gray tom

Cats Outside of Clans

**Autumn- **pretty orange tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Pepper- **black-and-gray she-cat

**Billy- **plump tabby tom

Prologue

A gray tom padded toward towards a bright, shining stone. His green eyes were glazed with fear and worry. He turned to a speckled gray tom who was sitting on the other side of the rock. "Goosefeather, what if StarClan don't listen to my plea?"

The medicine cat's pale-blue eyes were sure. "StarClan aren't like that. Now, touch your nose to the Moonstone, Greenstar."

Greenstar obeyed and touched his gray nose to the cold stone. Icy darkness swept over him for what seemed like nine lifetimes. Suddenly, he found himself standing in a lush, green forest. Prey-scent was everywhere and the smell of life filled his nostrils.

Greenstar froze when he saw a beautiful ginger tabby she-cat step out from one of the bushes. Her blue eyes sparkled with wisdom and she left stars in her paw-prints. Greenstar recognized the StarClan warrior easily. "Brightcloud," he murmured as he licked his former mate's eat affectionately.

"Greetings, Greenstar," Brightcloud meowed. "Why have you come to the Moonstone?"

Greenstar looked into Brightcloud's eyes. "ThunderClan is in trouble. Enemies come that we cannot defeat. I am afraid our Clan will die if we don't do something. We've already lost three warriors and two apprentices."

Brightcloud's voice was full of sympathy. "I am sorry about the troubles you are facing. If there was something I could do to help, I'd do it in a heartbeat."

"I need help!" Greenstar cried.

"There is a cat who will help," Brightcloud meowed.

Greenstar looked at Brightcloud. "Who?"

"Greenleaf brings life to the trees of the forest," Brightcloud meowed. "But one tree will be the strongest of them all."

"I don't understand!" Greenstar pleaded. "Please, help me!"

Brightcloud was already fading away. "I love you, Greenstar. Remember my words."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Wake up, you dormouse!" a small paw shook Pinekit. The red-brown tom opened one of his green eyes to see his brother, Beechkit, crouched over his nest. Cherrykit stood next to him.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Pinekit grumbled as she shook scraps of moss from his thick pelt.

Sunshine shone in through the nursery, telling Pinekit it was sunhigh. The walls of the ThunderClan nursery shielded the queens and kits from sun, rain and enemies. Of all the dens in the ThunderClan camp, the nursery was the hardest to get into. The entrance was specially designed for queens and kits.

Pinekit sat up. His mother, Sweetbriar, was chatting with Mothflight. Marshkit and Mottlekit were just rousing from sleep. Marshkit arched his back and yawned, curling his pink tongue.

Marshkit and Mottlekit were four moons older than Pinekit and his littermates, and they sure acted like it. Marshkit was the bossiest furball Pinekit had ever met, while his brother, Mottlekit, was easy-going. Pinekit couldn't believe they were brothers.

"Move out of the way, runt," Marshkit meowed as he shoved Pinekit aside to get to the nursery entrance.

Pinekit bristled. "Why don't you pick on some cat your own size?"

Marshkit snorted, swiping his dark tabby paw at Pinekit's head, knocking the smaller kit over. "I can do what I want. I'm practically an apprentice. So, you have to do what I say!"

Pinekit stood up. _Why does he have to be so mean?_

"Sorry," Mottlekit mewed sympathetically as he followed his brother out of the nursery.

Cherrykit padded over to Pinekit. She rested her pale-ginger tail on his shoulder. "It's okay, Pinekit. Marshkit is a mouse-heart for picking on you! He's just a big bully."

"Don't treat me like I'm younger than you!" Pinekit spat at his sister.

Cherrykit was clearly surprised at Pinekit's harsh tone.

Shame swept through Pinekit. "I'm sorry," he mewed to his sister. "You were just trying to help."

Cherrykit licked Pinekit over the ear. "Come on; let's go and see if Sweetbriar will let us go outside!"

"Count me in!" Beechkit exclaimed as the brown-and-cream tom jumped down to join his littermates.

Sweetbriar turned her head when she saw her kits approaching. She let out a soft purr and licked Beechkit's head.

Beechkit ducked away. "Can we go outside?"

"Rain's coming," Sweetbriar meowed. "I'd prefer you stay inside today."

Pinekit's tail drooped.

"Come on, Sweetbriar," Mothflight purred. "You were once their age. Let them go outside. After all, the rain shouldn't come until sunset."

Sweetbriar sighed. "Alright, you can go outside, but at least let me clean you; I want you looking nice for your father."

Pinekit quivered with excitement. Not only was he excited to meet his father, but he knew that his father was Clan leader! _Please let him be pleased with me!_ He prayed silently.

Pinekit streamed out of the nursery, along with Cherrykit, Beechkit and Sweetbriar. His eyes widened when he saw the ThunderClan camp for the first time.

A large bush sat close to the nursery. A tawny she-cat stepped out of it from a small hole. She looked at Pinekit, nodded, then padded over to the fresh-kill pile.

"That's Honeyclaw," Sweetbriar meowed to Pinekit. "She's my sister."

Pinekit nodded.

The greenleaf sun shone down onto the camp, making his reddish brown pelt shine glossy. He squinted his eyes and looked up; white, fluffy clouds blew across the sky. Darker cloud hung off in the distance.

"Those are rain clouds," Sweetbriar noticed as she looked up in the sky. "Can you smell rain?"

Pinekit parted his jaws and smelled hard. He caught a trace of dampness in the air. "I think so. I smell something damp."

"That's rain!" Sweetbriar purred. She flicked her long brown tabby tail toward a large rock that jutted out of the earth. "That's the Highrock, where Greenstar calls Clan meetings. And below it is the leader's den. Look," she meowed. "Here comes your father now."

Pinekit gazed excitedly toward the leader's den. His paws prickled as he waited for his father to emerge.

Sweetbriar's tongue rasped over the kits' heads once more. This time, Pinekit tolerated it; he wanted to look good for his father _and _his Clan leader.

Suddenly, a large thick-furred gray tom padded out of the leader's den. Muscles rippled underneath his pelt and his huge paws seemed to make the ground tremble.

Pinekit watched as Greenstar made his way toward the kits and Sweetbriar. When he got close enough, Pinekit could see his father's brilliant green eyes, and the scars on his shoulder and muzzle showed that he had experience fighting.

Greenstar licked Sweetbriar over the ear affectionately. He then turned to the three kits. "These are my kits?"

"Yes," Sweetbriar purred. "Pinekit, Cherrykit and Beechkit."

"Ah, all named after trees," Greenstar meowed, eyeing Beechkit most of all.

"What's it like being Clan leader?" Pinekit asked.

"It's hard work, but it's all worth it," Greenstar meowed, not paying attention to Pinekit. His green eyes were fixed on Beechkit. "Have you learned any battle-moves yet?" he asked the brown-and-cream kit.

"Flowerpaw likes to teach us some simple battle moves," Beechkit mewed.

Greenstar looked pleased. "Excellent."

Pinekit drooped his tail. Why was his father showing all his attention to Beechkit? _Does he not like me?_


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Pinekit blinked sleep from his eyes and stifled a loud yawn. He looked around the nursery; Marshkit, Mottlekit and his littermates were nowhere to be seen. Sweetbriar was fast asleep; her brown tabby flank gently rose and fell.

Pinekit prodded his mother's head with forepaw. "Mother," he whispered. "Where are Beechkit and Cherrykit?"

"Your father took them to see a little bit of the territory," Sweetbriar murmured sleepily.

Rage welled up inside Pinekit. How dare his father take his littermates out, but not him? Stomping angrily, Pinekit left the nursery.

Marshkit and Mottlekit were scuffling by the fresh-kill pile when Pinekit emerged from the bramble entrance of the ThunderClan nursery. Mottlekit looked up. "Hey, Pinekit. Come here!"

Marshkit grunted and kicked his hind paws, sending his brother flying onto the ground. "Come on, Mottlekit. Don't invite the runt over here."

Mottlekit gave the dark brown tabby kit a sharp glare and turned back to Pinekit. "Ignore him; he's got bees in his brain."

Pinekit purred in amusement.

"So, would you like a tour of the camp?" Mottlekit asked.

Pinekit's paws prickled with excitement. Even though he was a moon and a half old now, he had never gotten an official tour of the ThunderClan camp. "Sure!"

Marshkit grunted. "I'll lead."

Ignoring Marshkit's grumpy behavior, Pinekit padded beside Mottlekit. The mottled gray kit's tail was held up high. He looked like an apprentice already. Pinekit knew that Mottlekit and Marshkit would be apprentices in a half moon. They were twice as big as Pinekit and his littermates were.

Suddenly, Marshkit stopped at a large bush. "This is the warriors' den," he mewed.

Pinekit popped his red-brown head inside. Moss nests lay scattered around the trunk of the bush. Pelts of sleeping warriors lay in some of the nests.

A black tom popped his head up and looked at Pinekit. He flinched as he saw the tooth that stuck out from the tom's bottom jaw. The black tom's long fur was bristling. "Get out, kit! This den is for _warriors _only!"

Pinekit jumped back, landing on his tail. He stood up, embarrassed.

"Keep your fur on, Blackfang," Graystorm, Marshkit and Mottlekit's father meowed. "They're not doing any harm."

Blackfang snorted. "Young cats, bah! They think they can do anything and go anywhere."

"He sounds like Snowclaw," Mottlekit murmured to Pinekit.

Pinekit took a closer look at Blackfang and noticed a slight tinge of gray around the black tom's muzzle. Judging by his looks, Blackfang wasn't far from joining the elders.

Graystorm glanced at his kits warmly. "Are you showing Pinekit the camp?"

"Whatever," Marshkit muttered.

"Yes," Mottlekit replied, sounding cheerier than his brother.

Graystorm gave Mottlekit an approving nod. "Carry on, then."

Marshkit was leading them to a bush, slightly smaller than the one that made up the warriors' den. "That's the apprentice den!" Mottlekit exclaimed. "We'll be sleeping in there soon."

Pinekit tilted his head. "Won't you miss sleeping with Mothflight?"

"Of course," Mottlekit replied. "But I'll be happy that I'm closer to becoming a warrior."

"Only kits miss sleeping with their mothers," Marshkit remarked directly to Pinekit.

Pinekit rolled his leaf-green eyes. _He thinks he's an apprentice already!_

Suddenly, a yowl split the air. Tension crackled through the camp. Pinekit fixed his gaze on the camp entrance and spotted Thornwhisker, the ThunderClan deputy. The pale-tabby's pelt was covered in fresh scars. His eyes were glazed with fear.

"What's happened?" Graystorm asked as he ran up to Thornwhisker, who collapsed on his side.

"WindClan…" he gasped. "Near Fourtrees…attacked us."

"Greenstar's not here!" a cat wailed.

Terror ran through Pinekit. _What will we do?_


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Pinekit watched as Goosefeather ran toward Thornwhisker with cobwebs and herbs in his jaws. He licked the deputy's wounds with his tongue and placed cobwebs on the worse wounds.

"We need to send out a backup patrol at once!" Graystorm exclaimed. "Brightsplash, you lead an attack patrol; take Deerjump, Weedpaw, Honeyclaw Sagepaw and Treescar. The rest of the warriors and apprentices will stay to guard the camp; it'd be like Crowstar to attack one of our patrols and attack the camp as well."

Pinekit shuddered at the mention of the WindClan leader's name; he had heard that Crowstar was the most ambitious leader of all the Clans.

"His pelt is as black as his heart," Mumblepaw muttered.

Pinekit puffed out his chest. "Can I go, Graystorm?"

Graystorm flashed a stern look at Pinekit. "No, you must stay in camp!"

"But what if WindClan attack our camp?" Mottlekit asked as he ran up to stand next to Pinekit.

"Can we shred them?" Marshkit asked, his claws flexing.

Graystorm shook his gray head. "You will stay in the nursery!" he meowed sharply.

Pinekit ran to the nursery. His claws unsheathed as he imagined ripping them into WindClan cat fur. He then shook his head, reminding himself he wasn't allowed to fight.

Sweetbriar, Mothflight and the newest queen in the nursery, Plumcreek, were in the nursery. When Sweetbriar saw Pinekit, she scooped him up and whisked him into the nursery; Mothflight did the same with Marshkit and Mottlekit.

Plumcreek, her pale belly swollen with kits, still looked strong. "I'll shred those WindClan warriors if they hurt our kits!" she hissed.

Sweetbriar licked the silver tabby's ear. "No, Plumcreek, Thornwhisker wouldn't want you fighting when you are close to delivering his kits."

Plumcreek open her jaws to respond, but she thought better of it and curled up on her nest.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting screech pierced the air. Pinekit turned to the camp entrance and spotted a large jet-black tom rush into the ThunderClan camp. Other cats came streaming in behind him. The black tom's yellow eyes were filled with the light of battle.

"Crowstar!" Graystorm hissed.

Pinekit's green eyes widened; this was Crowstar. He was big, for a WindClan cat. Some cats say that Crowstar used to be a rouge who was seen on WindClan territory, and WindClan invited him to join their Clan.

Crowstar unsheathed his claws. "WindClan, attack!" he yowled as he launched himself at Graystorm.

"Father!" Mottlekit wailed as he attempted to escape Mothflight's grasp.

Pinekit watched in horror as the WindClan warriors attacked his Clanmates. He spotted Mosswing and Flowerpaw fighting side by side against two WindClan toms in front of the elders' den. Mosswing swiped a white paw at one of the WindClan warrior's muzzles; Flowerpaw kicked an unsheathed back paw at the other warrior, driving them away from the elders' den.

A loud cracking sound split the air. Pinekit looked up and saw that the nursery ceiling was collapsing!

"Everyone out!" Sweetbriar shrieked as she scooped up Pinekit and darted out of the nursery, helping Plumcreek out as well.

Mothflight was nosing Mottlekit and Marshkit out of the nursery. Mottlekit turned to face his mother. "Come on, momma! You've gotta get out too!"

"I'm com-" Mothflight's reply was cut off as a large branch that held up the nursery fell onto her back. More debris covered the entrance, showering branches, twigs and leaves onto Mothflight.

Pinekit saw three WindClan warriors shaking the nursery. One of them, a brown tom, turned when he saw Pinekit. His green eyes flared with hatred.

Pinekit unsheathed his claws and let out a high-pitched yowl, flinging himself onto the brown tom.

"Pinekit, no!" Sweetbriar yowled as she dashed over and swiped the brown tom's face with her thorn-sharp claws.

"Shame on you, Grassfur!" Sweetbriar spat at the brown tom.

Grassfur writhed on the ground in pain; blood welled up from a wound Sweetbriar had caused above his nose.

A gray pelt caught Pinekit's eye at the camp entrance. He turned and spotted Greenstar dashing into the camp; Cherrykit and Beechkit were hard on his heels.

"Crowstar!" Greenstar hissed. "How dare you attack our camp for no reason?"

Greenstar leapt at the jet-black WindClan leader, who was pinning down Graystorm. Crowstar flipped over and rolled on top of Greenstar.

"The other Clans are weak!" Crowstar growled. "If WindClan were the only Clan in the forest, it would be better! We decided to attack ThunderClan first, since they are the weakest of the four Clans."

Greenstar hissed with rage and clawed Crowstar's flank with his long claws. Crowstar battered Greenstar's muzzle, distracting him, giving him enough time to leap onto Greenstar's back.

Crowstar sank his yellow teeth into Greenstar's neck.

Pinekit winced as he heard Greenstar yowl with pain and collapse onto the ground; a pool of blood flowed around him. Crowstar kicked Greenstar's head and yowled for the rest of his Clan to follow him back to the WindClan camp.

"Father!" Beechkit wailed.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Pinekit ran over to where his father's body lay. He pressed his nose into Greenstar's fur, flinching when he found that it was cold as ice.

"Momma, why won't daddy wake up?" Pinekit asked Sweetbriar as she padded over to the ThunderClan leader's body, along with the rest of the Clan.

"He's cold!" Cherrykit exclaimed.

Sweetbriar's amber eyes filled with sadness. "He's losing a life," she murmured.

"He's _dead_?" Pinekit was appalled.

"Not completely," Sweetbriar meowed. "He'll come back soon."

Pinekit waited around Greenstar's body. After what seemed like ages, Greenstar's flank rose and fell quickly. He groaned and stood up on shaky legs.

"Greenstar!" Beechkit exclaimed.

Greenstar licked the brown-and-cream tom over the head. "It's alright!" he told the Clan. "I've just lost a life; I've got three lives left."

"I thought I lost you," Sweetbriar whispered as she wound around Greenstar, purring with relief.

"Thornwhisker is dead!" Goosefeather exclaimed from the medicine den.

Pinekit turned toward the medicine den and saw Goosefeather dragging the pale-tabby body of Thornwhisker.

Plumcreek let out a wail, Thornwhisker had been her mate. She ran over to the deputy's body and rested her muzzle on it, breathing in the scent of Thornwhisker.

"How did he die?" Greenstar demanded.

"His wounds were deep, and he lost too much blood." Goosefeather sighed. "There was nothing I could do."

The Clan fell silent. Sadness filled Pinekit.

"Mothflight!" Mottlekit wailed in front of the collapsed nursery.

Pinekit dashed over to his denmate's side. Graystorm ran over and tossed aside branches frantically. After a while, Pinekit spotted a white pelt among the debris. Graystorm grabbed Mothflight's pelt and set her at his paws.

Mothflight weakly opened a blue eye. "Graystorm?" she rasped.

"I'm here," Graystorm licked his mate's head gently.

"Take care of Marshkit and Mottlekit for me," Mothflight murmured.

"No," Graystorm meowed. "You and I will take care of them."

"No, Graystorm," Mothflight meowed calmly. "StarClan is calling me. You're a great father."

"Mothflight!" Mottlekit exclaimed.

"My son," Mothflight voice was full of happiness. "Where is Marshkit?"

"I'm here, mother," For once, Marshkit sounded loving.

"I love you all," Mothflight sighed as her eyes closed and her flank heaved one more time, and then fell still forever.

"No!" Graystorm lifted his head and yowled into the sky. He unsheathed his claws. "This is WindClan's fault!" he hissed. "I'll kill that cat who killed Mothflight!"

"Calm down," Goosefeather ran over to the gray warrior with some herbs in his jaws. He set them down at Graystorm's paws. "Here; it's thyme. It will calm you down."

Graystorm's pelt bristled with rage. "I _will _avenge Mothflight's death!"

Pinekit felt a stab of sympathy for Graystorm, Marshkit and Mottlekit. _Three deaths in one day!_

{} {} {} {} {} {}

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Four sunrises had passed since WindClan's attack on the camp, and everyone was continuing duties as normal. Pinekit sat beside Beechkit, Cherrykit and Sweetbriar in front of the nursery. Greenstar had called a meeting for Marshkit and Mottlekit's apprentice ceremony.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Greenstar called. "These past few sunrises have been very tragic. But now I will perform one of the happiest ceremonies; the apprentice ceremony. Marshkit, Mottlekit, come here."

Pinekit watched in happiness as his two denmates sat below Highrock.

"Blackfang," Greenstar announced. "You will mentor Marshpaw."

The dark brown tabby tom touched noses with Blackfang. Pinekit felt sorry for Marshpaw; Blackfang was the grumpiest cat in the Clan, even grumpier than Snowclaw.

"Brightsplash, you will mentor Mottlepaw," Greenstar finished.

"Marshpaw! Mottlepaw! Marshpaw! Mottlepaw!"

"Also!" Greenstar called. "ThunderClan needs a new deputy."

The Clan fell silent.

"I say these words before the spirit of Thornwhisker so that he may hear and approve my choice." Greenstar meowed.

Excitement surged through Pinekit. _Who will he pick?_

"Graystorm will be ThunderClan's new deputy!" Greenstar called.

Yowls of approval rang around the clearing. Obviously, Graystorm had been a popular choice.

"Thank you, Greenstar," Graystorm dipped his head. "I promise to serve ThunderClan at my best as your deputy."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Honeyclaw, you will mentor Pinepaw!" Greenstar called proudly.

Pinepaw touched noses with the tawny she-cat. His paws tingled with excitement. _I'm an apprentice now!_

Pinepaw looked at his littermates; Cherrypaw was Mosswing's apprentice, since her old apprentice, Flowerpaw, was given her warrior name, Flowerspeck, and Greenstar was mentoring Beechpaw. Pinepaw felt jealously tug at his pelt; why did his father care so much about Beechpaw?

"Beechpaw, Pinepaw, Cherrypaw!"

Pinepaw listened to the Clan shout their new names. He spotted the new warrior, Sagefern, cheering along too. Embarrassment flooded through him when he noticed she was watching.

"So, Pinepaw," Honeyclaw's meow interrupted his thoughts. "Would you like to come to the Gathering tonight?"

_The Gathering! _"Yes!" Pinepaw squealed, sounding like a kit.

Honeyclaw purred. "Greenstar said it was okay. So, do you want to see some of the territory?"

Pinepaw nodded. He couldn't wait to finally see his territory.

Honeyclaw flicked her tail, "Come on, Pinepaw. I'll bring Sagefern with me.

Pinepaw froze as the beautiful, thick-furred bright tabby she-cat padded up beside Honeyclaw. Sagefern's blue eyes sparkled with beauty.

"Let's go," Honeyclaw meowed as she ducked through the thorn tunnel.

Pinepaw padded after her; he hissed in annoyance as thorns scratched his pelt. When he saw the other side of the tunnel, he tried to step out, but the tendrils of thorns were stuck to his pelt.

"Help!" Pinepaw exclaimed.

Sagefern padded over and nipped then tendrils. Pinepaw shook the remaining thorns out of his pelt and looked into Sagefern's eyes. "Thanks," he murmured.

Sagefern purred in amusement. "Don't lose your pelt! You're going to need it in leaf-bare."

Pinepaw felt hot with embarrassment. _She didn't need to save me!_

Pinepaw looked around the forest; the bushes around him were covered in a thin, sparkly, white sheet. He sniffed at it and jerked away quickly. "What is that? It's cold!"

"That's frost," Honeyclaw meowed. "We get it a lot in leaf-bare. Sometimes, we'll even get snow."

Pinepaw ran to catch up with the two warriors. The leaves on the forest floor were hard and crunchy. Suddenly, a musty odor hit his mouth. He opened his jaws and let the scent bathe his tongue. "I smell mouse." He announced.

Honeyclaw parted her jaws and nodded to Pinepaw with satisfaction. "Watch me," she meowed.

Pinepaw watched the tawny warrior crouch down. Her tail was barely over the ground and her haunches wiggled. She slowly stalked in the direction of the mouse.

Honeyclaw suddenly pounced. Pinepaw heard a tiny squeal come from the mouse and Honeyclaw killed it with a swift bite to the spine.

"That was amazing!" Pinepaw exclaimed.

Honeyclaw scraped frozen earth over her catch. "You'll be able to hunt like that too someday."

{} {} {} {} {} {}

Pinepaw curled up in his nest in the apprentices' den; this was the first time he had slept without Sweetbriar beside him. A stab of loneliness pierced him for a moment, but then he remembered that now he was closer to becoming a warrior.

Pinepaw looked at the nest next to him; the mottled gray flank of Mottlepaw gently rose and fell, telling Pinepaw he was fast asleep.

Pinepaw wrapped his fluffy tail over his nose and closed his eyes. _I've got to get some rest; I'm going to the Gathering tonight._


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Pinepaw flinched as a loud hooting sound sounded overhead. Honeyclaw purred with amusement and set her tail comfortingly on Pinepaw's shoulder. "Don't worry, Pinepaw. It's just an owl; we're under the Owl Tree, you know."

Pinepaw looked up and saw a large tree towering over him. The night was dark and the only source of light was the full moon that shone brightly above him. Some of the first stars of Silverpelt were just starting to come out.

Greenstar lead the Gathering patrol confidently through the trees. Graystorm and Beechpaw flanked him.

Pinepaw sank his claws into the ground, tearing up pawfuls of grass. He hated that his father showed all of his attention towards Beechpaw. _What makes him so special?_

Quickly, Pinepaw sheathed his claws and shook the thought away, turning to his mentor. "What are the other Clans like?"

"Well, you already know how WindClan is with Crowstar leading," Honeyclaw growled as she said Crowstar's name. "But RiverClan's okay; now ShadowClan," she paused. "They would kill Greenstar for three mouse tails."

"Honeyclaw," Sagefern piped in as she padded up to the tawny she-cat. Amusement sparkled in her eyes. "Don't be telling Pinepaw the bad things about the Clans; I met a fair ShadowClan apprentice when I was an apprentice as well."

Honeyclaw cuffed the younger warrior gently over the ear with sheathed claws. "Ah, yes, Sparrowpaw. He's a fine cat."

"I wonder if he's a warrior too!" Sagefern exclaimed.

Finally, the patrol stopped at four tall oak trees. Pinepaw's jaw dropped as he looked up at the tall trees.

"Fourtrees," Sagefern meowed as she flicked Pinepaw's ear with her tabby-striped tail. "Race you to the clearing!"

Pinepaw didn't have time to reply; the tabby warrior was already three fox-lengths ahead of him. With a leap, Pinepaw pelted after Sagefern.

His paws drummed on the ground and his paws churned up dirt and grass. Pinepaw was now gaining on Sagefern.

Pinepaw stopped in the clearing, panting for breath when Sagefern suddenly crashed into him.

"Sorry!" Sagefern shook her pelt. "You're fast, Pinepaw."

Pinepaw purred at the she-cat's praise. He looked around, confused. "Where is everybody?"

"We're the first ones here!" Beechpaw exclaimed as he clambered onto a large rock. "Look, I'm a leader!" he proclaimed proudly.

"Get down from the Great Rock!" Cherrypaw shouted. "That's for leaders only!"

"Which he will be one day," Greenstar meowed, almost to himself as he scooped up Beechpaw and set him on the ground.

Pinepaw saw Honeyclaw part her jaws. The fur on her back bristled. "WindClan." She hissed.

Pinepaw turned his attention to the entrance of Fourtrees and spotted Crowstar streaming into the clearing with a patrol of warriors following him.

Pinepaw recognized the brown tom, Grassfur, from the battle. Grassfur flashed an angry glance at Pinepaw and hissed, flattening his ears.

Tension crackled around Pinepaw; would WindClan keep the sacred truce of the Gathering.

Pinepaw looked underneath the Great Rock, where Graystorm was sitting. A silver tom padded warily over under the rock. His darker tabby stripes were barely visible in the shadow of the Great Rock.

Graystorm spat at the tom and his gray fur bristled.

The WindClan tom hissed something to Graystorm that Pinepaw didn't catch.

"Who's that silver tom over there?" Pinepaw asked Honeyclaw.

"That's WindClan's deputy, Ashstripe," Honeyclaw replied with sourness in her tone.

Suddenly, a strong tang hit Pinepaw's nostrils. His eyes watered and he gagged. "What's that smell?"

"RiverClan," Honeyclaw meowed. "You smell fish; that's what they eat."

_Yuck! _Pinepaw thought. _Why would you want to eat prey that smells like that?_

A slender ginger-and-white she-cat slid into the clearing. She gracefully leaped onto the Great Rock and sat in between Greenstar and Crowstar.

"Pinepaw, come here!" Sagefern called as she stood with three apprentices.

Pinepaw ran over and caught the harsh tang again; these must be RiverClan apprentices.

"Heronpaw," Sagefern meowed to a gray-and-dark gray she-cat. "This is Pinepaw."

Heronpaw glanced shyly at Pinepaw. "Hi," her voice was soft.

"I'm Fishpaw!" proclaimed a light brown tom.

"And I'm Lakepaw," a black tom meowed.

"So, you're a ThunderClan cat!" Fishpaw exclaimed. His green eyes shone with curiosity. "What is it like eating mice?"

"It's, er, delicious," Pinepaw replied awkwardly. "How is fish? It certainly stinks!"

"Stinks?" Lakepaw sounded mildly offended. "It's _wonderful_!"

"So," Fishpaw meowed as he examined Pinepaw. "How long have you been an apprentice?"

"This is my first day," Pinepaw meowed.

"They let you go to a Gathering on your first day as an apprentice?" Heronpaw spoke up.

"Lucky," Fishpaw meowed. "We had to wait a moon before Sunstar let us go to a Gathering!"

Pinepaw recalled seeing a ginger-and-white she-cat climb onto the Great Rock. _That must have been Sunstar, RiverClan's leader._

"Where's ShadowClan?" Lakepaw asked.

Fishpaw shoved the black apprentice playfully on his shoulder. "Come on, Lakepaw, everyone knows why you want ShadowClan to come!"

"Shut up, Fishpaw!" Lakepaw lashed out a paw at his Clanmate.

"Knock it off, you two!" a brown-and-white she-cat hissed at the apprentices.

Fishpaw dropped his head. "Sorry, Willowfrost." He turned to whisper something in Pinepaw's ear. "He had a crush on Sootpaw of ShadowClan."

Lakepaw flattened his ears and hissed at Fishpaw.

"Pinepaw!" Pinepaw heard Honeyclaw call his name. He turned and saw an empty spot between her and Sagefern. "Come on; ShadowClan's here and the Gathering's starting!"

Pinepaw ran to sit beside his mentor and looked up at the great rock. A small dark brown tom took his place on the Great Rock among the leaders.

"Mudfoot," Greenstar meowed to the brown tom. "Where's Copperstar?"

Mudfoot hung his head. "Greencough happened. He's dead."

Shocked gasps rang around the clearing.

"I'm Mudstar now," the dark tom finished. "I received my nine lives two sunrises ago."

"Congratulations!" Sunstar purred as she nodded her ginger head in approval.

Greenstar nodded and let out a yowl. "Let the Gathering begin!"

The cats in the clearing fell silent.

"Even though it's leaf-bare, StarClan has blessed the forest with prey," Greenstar called. "We have three new apprentices; Beechpaw, Pinepaw and Cherrypaw!"

"Beechpaw! Pinepaw! Cherrypaw!"

ShadowClan and RiverClan greeted the new apprentices, while WindClan turned their backs. Pinepaw snorted.

Greenstar nodded to Sunstar.

"RiverClan is as strong as usual," the ginger-and-white leader meowed. "Nothing unusual to report; Mudstar, you may speak."

The young brown tom dipped his head. "ShadowClan grieves for the loss of Copperstar. Our new deputy is Gorsewhisker."

Pinepaw spotted a large dark gray tom with matted fur sitting with the other Clan deputies.

"If you are quite finished," Crowstar meowed dryly as he stood up. "ThunderClan are murderers!"

Gasps rang throughout the ThunderClan warriors. The gasps soon turned to yowls of protest.

"Liar!"

"WindClan are murderers!"

"Crowstar," Pinepaw was surprised at his father's cool tone. "Both of us know you attacked our camp for no reason. Your warriors killed our deputy, Thornwhisker and one of our queens, Mothflight."

RiverClan gasped.

"You killed a queen?" Sunstar hissed.

"Why should _we _care about a cat from another Clan?" a tortoiseshell she-cat growled among the other Clan deputies.

"This is not your place to speak, Spottedfur," Sunstar meowed.

"WindClan is the strongest Clan in the forest!" Crowstar exclaimed. "We know it, you know it, even StarClan knows it! Surrender your territories to me, or die defending it like Thornwhisker and Mothflight did!"

"Never!" Greenstar growled.

"ShadowClan doesn't surrender!" Mudstar agreed.

"Nor does RiverClan!" Sunstar hissed.

Crowstar lashed his tail and leapt off of the Great Rock. "You've made a foolish decision. Soon, you'll all see the power WindClan has!"

Pinepaw watched the black tom slide out of Fourtrees along with the rest of his warriors. A sinking feeling welled up in Pinepaw's stomach. _Will WindClan destroy us all?_


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"I want to do something about WindClan," Pinepaw meowed to Cherrypaw. A half-eaten shrew lay in his paws.

"What _can_ you do?" the pale-ginger apprentice meowed as she bit into a mouse.

Pinepaw sighed. "I don't know. But I'm not just going to sit here while Crowstar threatens to tear the Clans apart."

Cherrypaw stood up and licked her lips. "Mosswing wants me to do some battle training in the sandy hollow."

"Pinepaw," Honeyclaw's meow sounded from behind. "Come on; all the apprentices are training in the sandy hollow."

Pinepaw swallowed the last morsel of shrew and followed his mentor out of the camp.

The air was bitterly cold. Pinepaw fluffed up his thick pelt to block the merciless, freezing wind. The trees above him swayed back and forth.

Suddenly, small white flakes began to fall from the sky. Pinepaw flinched as one landed on his nose. "What's that?"

"Snow," Honeyclaw grunted as it started to fall harder.

By the time they reached the sandy hollow, a thin covering of snow lay on the ground. Pinepaw's eyes widened when he saw the two oldest apprentices, Weedpaw and Mumblepaw. _They're more experienced than me!_

"Don't feel nervous." Honeyclaw must have scented Pinepaw's fear.

Pinepaw nodded and padded into the sandy hollow. The sand beneath his paws provided a soft spot if someone fell.

"Alright!" Deerjump, Weedpaw's mentor, called. "We'll have Weedpaw and Mumblepaw demonstrate the moves to the younger apprentices."

Weedpaw puffed out his pale-orange chest out with pride and stepped into the center of the sandy hollow.

Pinepaw padded over to where Mottlepaw was sitting at the edge.

Mumblepaw padded in the center, facing Weedpaw.

"Perform the belly rake," Deerjump ordered.

Mumblepaw leapt at Weedpaw with sheathed, outstretched paws. He knocked the large apprentice over and held him down.

Weedpaw, who was on his back, raked his paws down Mumblepaw's belly. Mumblepaw yowled with frustration and jumped off.

"The belly rake is a defensive and offensive move," Graystorm explained. "I harms an enemy, and it also puts you back in control."

Deerjump nodded. "Pinepaw, I want you to try this on Marshpaw."

Pinepaw padded into the clearing, along with Marshpaw. The dark tabby apprentice's eyes glittered as he unsheathed his claws. "This will be fun," he sneered.

"Marshpaw!" Blackfang growled. "Sheathed claws!"

Marshpaw snorted and sheathed his claws.

Pinepaw winced as Marshpaw landed on him. His yellow eyes burned into his fur.

Pinepaw raked his paws on Marshpaw's belly, but the dark brown tom didn't budge; instead, he got off of Pinepaw, grabbed him by the scruff, and flung him across the sandy hollow.

Pinepaw landed with a thud, knocking the breath out of him.

"Good move, Marshpaw!" Weedpaw called.

Pinepaw unsheathed his claws and sprang at Marshpaw when his back was turned. Fury ran through him as he slashed claws along Marshpaw's flank.

Marshpaw howled in agony and turned around to bite Pinepaw's tail, but Pinepaw was quicker; he jumped to the side and barreled into Marshpaw, pinning him down. Pinepaw raked the apprentice's belly with unsheathed back claws.

"Pinepaw, stop!" Honeyclaw hissed as she ran into the clearing.

Pinepaw shook his head and looked down at Marshpaw. His green eyes widened when he saw the belly wounds he had caused.

Marshpaw moaned in pain and writhed on the ground.

"Pinepaw!" Honeyclaw's hiss was angry. "We said _sheathed _claws! Go back to camp, now!"

Tail drooping, Pinepaw trudged back to camp. Pity stabbed him for Marshpaw. _Great StarClan, I went too far._


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Pinepaw ripped a long wad of moss from the tree. Marshpaw's injuries had to be treated by Goosefeather, and Honeyclaw had punished him. He had to care for the elders for a moon, and he didn't get to go to the Gathering tonight.

Grabbing the moss, Pinepaw padded back into camp towards the elders' den.

"It's about time!" Creeksplash snorted when Pinepaw padded into the hollow tree where the elders' den was.

Pinepaw ignored the elder and dragged the dirty bedding out of the den and to the dirtplace.

When he returned, Dappleshine stood up so Pinepaw could place the new bedding in the den.

"Thank you, Pinepaw," the golden she-cat rasped as she curled up on the moss again.

Pinepaw repeated the same process with Creeksplash and Snowclaw.

"Fetch us some prey, will you?" Snowclaw grumbled as he wrapped his gray tail over his nose.

With a flick of his tail, Pinepaw slipped out of the nursery toward the fresh-kill pile.

He grabbed a rabbit and dragged it back to the elders.

Dappleshine bit hungrily into it.

_Snowclaw and Creeksplash never said thank you! _Pinepaw thought angrily as he left the den.

"Hi, Pinepaw," Sagefern's soft meow sounded from the fresh-kill pile.

Pinepaw spotted the tabby she-cat eating a raven.

"Share this with me," Sagefern insisted.

Happiness ran through Pinepaw as he settled down beside Sagefern, their pelts brushed.

"Is something troubling you?" Sagefern asked all of a sudden.

Pinepaw sighed. "I just want to do something about WindClan."

The tabby she-cat nodded. "I'd like to do something too."

A flicker of hope lit up inside Pinepaw. _I'm not the only one!_ "I-I was thinking of doing something kind of mouse-brained."

"Nonsense!" Sagefern scoffed. "What is it?"

Pinepaw had been thinking of the idea of gathering together some loners and rogues to help them fight against WindClan, but he was afraid Sagefern would rebuke it. "I thought we could get together some rogues and loners to help us fight WindClan."

For a moment, Sagefern was silent, her blue gaze expressionless. Pinepaw shivered. _What will she say?_

"Greenstar would never let you." Sagefern took another bite of the raven.

Pinepaw knew she was right. "I know, but I thought I could do it secretly."

"When were you planning on doing this?" Sagefern asked.

"Next moon." Pinepaw muttered.

"Well, that's too far away!" Sagefern whispered loudly. "You've got to go as soon as possible."

Pinepaw nodded. Then, a thought came to him. _I'll leave early tomorrow morning, before dawn. _"I'll go tomorrow before dawn." He meowed.

Sagefern stretched and stood up. "I'd better get some sleep; we've got a long journey ahead of us."

Pinepaw stood there, shocked. "_We_?" he echoed.

"Of course!" Sagefern purred. "If you're going on a dangerous mission, I'm coming with you. I wouldn't want you getting hurt. Now come on, let's get some rest."


End file.
